It was a great episode, it should be airing again here within a couple of days so I'll have to watch it again - I missed the first ten minutes of it last time!

The only thing I didn't like was that Mac gets his antidote about two minutes before he dies - a pill doesn't work that quickly so I thought that was a little unrealistic.

But other than that, it was an awesome episode.

This is definitely the best episode of season one, in my opinion--in fact, one of my all time favorites! Some people have already discussed the best aspects of this episode here, but there are some things that I just can't praise enough.

To quote MacBeth:

I completely agree with that! I willingly admit that I'm quite a hurt/comfort junkie, and I do enjoy most episodes where Mac is sick/injured/vulnerable--as long as someone's there to comfort him and offer him the proper care and/or emotional support. As MacBeth pointed out, it was quite unusual for a male TV hero at the time, and could easily have come out bad or implausible had it not been for RDA's acting skills!

I wouldn't call myself "cold", but I'm usually not the first one to choke up watching sad movies. However, watching RDA featuring Mac in distress or pain really gets me every time--which may also be part reason why I fell for the series in the first place--he feels so genuine for a TV series character, displaying both his strengths and his vulnerability!

This is also the main reason why I find it very hard to imagine someone else in the role of MacGyver for a future film. I doubt they'd ever find anyone else who'd make it work for me. (And no, I can't really see RDA return to MacGyver either, after all these years. But that's a topic for another thread).

Anyway--back on topic--I really liked Lisa as a character. Considering her background, you must admire her strength. And the way she cared for Mac was heartwarming indeed. In fact, that's another thing about this episode that I really loved--Mac and Lisa just helped each other out though they were total strangers to each other in the beginning--they just felt it was the right thing to do!

And she got rewarded in the end! It would have been interesting to see what happened to her; considering how intelligent she seemed, she must have gone far!

Despite my love of this episode, I do have *some* nitpicks though:

Considering Mac's vertigo, and the extreme pain he was in, I very much doubt that he'd be hungry as they finally made it to Lisa's apartment. In fact, everyone I know who've experienced this kind of vertigo have also suffered from extreme nausea and vomiting. I can totally understand why you'd neglect that aspect when producing a TV show with this rating, but still, the fact that he was hungry felt rather implausible.

Also, had I been Lisa, I'd never ever handled Mac a knife in that state!

Many have already commented the fact that Mac really got the cure at the last moment, and that it wouldn't have had the time to work before his time ran out. Well, they actually said that it could be a little more (or less) than six hours, so it might be that he had a little more time than implied, but naturally, the watch was set for exactly six hours to make him feel the pressure.

For those of you who wonder about his "drugged" appearance, there is a simple way to make an actor look teary eyed or sick, and which they might have used: Just add a stroke of tiger balm or any peppermint ointment under each eye. (that's UNDER, mind you, not above). It will do the trick. (And yes, I'm talking from experience).

Anyway--my first "Excellent" rating, so far!

That's a good call. In fact any sort of illness will generally throw you off your food, even a common cold can take away your appetite.

I agree with NightTinkerer. I've always found this scene highly improbable. When you're that sick, food will only make you feel worse. So I think the writers forced the scenario this way, because they needed to make some points.
Something else has been puzzling me just as much, from the first time I saw this scene: when Lisa comes into the room with Mac, the bag with the fish she just caught is gone. Instead, she takes a package from a shelf, apparently with another fish in it, for Mac to take the bones out of it. Seems highly inconsequential. It would have been much more logical to take and prepare the fish she caught thanks to Mac's lure.

Yeah, Traveller, you have a good point there--why did she handle him an "old" fish? I didn't even think about it until you pointed it out, I guess I was too focused on Mac's pain...

And yes, the writers were obviously forcing the scenario to show that Mac "makes the best of what [he's] got," to quote Lisa. The scenario was still improbable, though... (and actually, handling fish even though you're just slightly nauseated... well, it's not an ideal situation for anyone, I think... )

By the way, I like how you go through the episodes. It freshens up some of the thoughts I have, but never put on paper – so to speak. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Thank you!

I think it's great fun to get to know all of you here on this forum. Even though many of my thoughts and observations have been discussed already since I was late to jump the bandwagon, we're all individuals, and we'll se different things.

I agree with most of the comments on this thread. I voted excellent and this is thus far one of my very favorite episodes. I saw it on the tv version recently and they had cut out the part where Mac was giving Nielson other options to get the info from him. I watched it from my DVD the other day and that cracked me up!

I don't have a problem with the timing of the antidote because when Nielson gave Mac the drug he said that "after 6 hours, give or take a few moments, the drug would be irreversible and would kill him". He didn't say it would kill him in exactly 6 hours.

I was also truly amazed by RDA's acting in this episode!!! His acting is so darn believable. I agree with what was said earlier that he doesn't seem to force the emotions they just occur as they should.

The reason I am remembering to comment on this episode right now is due to the first part of this episode...Mac's commentary prior to walking down the dock. Mac quotes the statistic about the pleasing sound of rushing water, "but 10 and a half days at sea is enough rushing water for anybody". I go to sea for work for 2-3 weeks at a time, so his comments about this really cracked me up...in fact, I am sitting aboard the ship right now as I type this reply. Just a little note from a fellow sea traveller.

I agree with everything everyone has said in this thread. This is probably one of my favorite episodes of Season 1. RDA's acting is very realistic, very believable, probably his best of the whole series. A lot of realistic, suspenseful moments. A lot of creative MacGyverisms. I really liked the part where Mac made the bad guys think he went out the window, but the whole time he was hiding under a couch. Overall a good episode.

Overall Rating: 10/10

One of my top favs.

RDA was excellent in his performance.

The bad guys were not really dumb or over the top.

Mac lightheartedly requesting other torture methods was great. His humor in these situations is one reason we all love him.

Did want to point out that the poison did not kill him in 6 hours, he had 6 hours to take the antidote or it would be too late for the antidote to work.

I think one reason this is a favorite is that when this aired I was lightly contemplating running away from home and said if I do I do it like Lisa did, real smart. A few years later, I opted for going to DCFS and actually got the state of Florida to legal remove custody from my mother and place me with my grandma.

I image Lisa going to college, with Macs help, becoming an engineer and then working for the Phoenix foundation someday.

one of the best, Mac must save himself within six hours. The suspense was great when first seeing it its a kid.

I loved this Episode and so did my son he thought it was good it makes you catch your breath I was amazed at what he was able to do while having his vision being blurred I was like oh you hope that he gets the pill that helps him from dying. I guess it just takes your breath away this was another favorite of mine

I loved this Episode and so did my son he thought it was good it makes you catch your breath I was amazed at what he was able to do while having his vision being blurred I was like oh you hope that he gets the pill that helps him from dying. I guess it just takes your breath away this was another favorite of mine

Ok, I have to reply again to this thread. After Blondmama replied and I got the email, I reread through the old posts.

First, I think OldFan was right on with the comparison to the SG1 episode Abyss!! Now that I've seen both I TOTALLY agree!!! RDA's acting when in distress is truly amazing and it carried through greatly into Stargate SG1 as well.

I liked the comment here where they may not have warned Lisa about having to take on RDA's weight, because I have really noticed this. Most of the time when a character is being "carried" or helped like that you can see the actor helping out (whether consciously or not). RDA seems to be able to consciously NOT help them out. I have paid more attention to it as I have watched the SG1 series because of especially this MacGyver episode. Many actors wind up basically carrying RDA in several episodes and it just makes it so darn believable!!!

The other thing that I have to laugh at right now is the timing of this thread. I reread my own post for this episode and noticed my reference to the beginning of the episode where Mac was talking about the sound of rushing water and 10 days at sea...I am again sitting on the ship, at sea, and this time even in a room at water level so I can hear the water rush by the hull. We've been gone 12 days!! Timing cracks me up sometimes!!

I think this episode shows how a good actor RDA is.

It must be difficult to act so well if you're not really hurting or drugged. He makes it so credible

I also like him with Lisa.

To me Nightmares is one of the best episodes of Season 1 if not the best. I think it's my favorite one. I always liked RDA 's acting in this one, very strong performance. Like cmbj commented earlier, shows how good actor RDA really is. Great episode with suspense that keeps you nailed to your seat to the very end.

Neilson's Warehouse today...

Looks like somebody tripped with thinner can and "washed" the whole wall...

Attached Image

I have also spent similar periods of time at sea and agree with all those comments regarding the sound of the water! I also get a lot out of those episodes which explore a hero's vulnerability and RDA makes it soooo convincing. Story wise I thought it interesting that many years later in the new Knight Rider series they ran a storyline with a very similar premise, and it is a common theme in many of the series of the time - Star Trek certainly used similar ideas on a number of occasions all with 'last minute' cures and I bet there were others.